Dear CWR Friends:
In the interest of keeping you informed, the Communicators for Women Religious Board of Directors shares highlights of our monthly meetings. The Board met via videoconference on Tuesday, August 16, 2016.
Kate Martin opened the meeting, sharing a prayer with the members.
Minutes of the July Board meeting were approved.
Board Chair Eileen Dickerson informed the Board that, after extensive discussion among the members of the Executive Team and the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, the Exec Team has decided that we should not have text in the by-laws referring to Associate members (as proposed at the July Board meeting). In 2017, the Board will be reviewing and updating membership structures. A new membership structure may not have an “Associate” designation. So, we believe that, for the present, the by-laws text should reflect just the revisions regarding the Executive Director and non-members.
Eileen and Executive Director Nick Schafer attended the LCWR Assembly and believe their attendance to have been a successful endeavor, creating good connections and possibilities for future collaboration. It was clear that recognition of CWR’s name and understanding of its purpose has grown significantly. The give-away CWR post-it notes created by the Marketing Committee were well received by Assembly attendees
Executive Director Nick Schafer reported that the CWR office continues to come together with WiFi and phone installation. In an effort to reflect CWR membership in the office, Coordinator Susan Oxley has issued an invitation to members to send small mementos or symbols of their congregations for display in a decorative case in the office.
Nick said that his and Eileen’s attendance at the LCWR Assembly was productive and instrumental in establishing connections with individual sisters, congregations and possible collaborators. Among others, he had conversations about CWR with Sister Marie Stuart, SCP from Ireland, UISG Executive Director Sister Patricia Murray, Sister Jessi Beck, PBVM from Giving Voice, with CTU neighbor Sister Debbie Boerneman, S.S.C.M. from NRVC and with a sister representative from the African Sisters Education Collaborative. He will follow up with them and with other Assembly exhibitors he spoke with.
Treasurer Sister Beth Kress, PBVM, reported on CWR’s accounts and investments. She told the Board that she has been sharpening her financial skills by participating in 2016 Quarterly CBIS webinars on investing and — with Nick and Susan — will be meeting with CWR’s contracted accountant Cathy Brickey in September.
Marketing Committee Co-Chair Jennifer Kaminski reported on CWR ads placed by the committee: National Catholic Reporter’s “Women Today” section, the Catholic Press Association’s conference program and Our Sunday Visitor’s Saint (Mother) Teresa special edition.
Jennifer said that the one page CWR Fact Sheet suggested by the Strategic Plan has been put together in a booklet format as well as a larger one-page sheet. The booklet will be available in the near future.
The committee will send press releases on the 2016 Conference to all appropriate media. The committee compiled a list of Indianapolis and surrounding media, particularly Catholic media, as well as some Catholic colleges and IndyAMA, and wrote an email message about the conference and one-day commuter option. Susan will send out these e-mail messages.
The committee will be contacting non-members who are signed up for this year’s conference.
Membership Committee Chair Sarah Jenkins shared the planned activities for the Conference, especially for Orientation. The committee will be contacting new members and new attendees.
Conference 2016 Committee Chair Kathy Gatliff and her committee are fine-tuning all of the final details for the October event. We now have 126 registered! Kathy asks all members to reach out warmly and hospitably to first-time attendees.
Development Committee Chair Kate Martin said that she is still in the process of recruiting additional conference sponsors and exhibitors. Please e-mail any suggestions for sponsors or exhibitors to Kate: kmartinssd@sanrafaelop.org.
Conference 2017 Committee Chair Dave Eck reviewed proposed presenters to the Board for approval. His committee is working on the conference logo design and considering possible workshop topics. They have contacted the mayor of Montreal, asking for a letter of recognition for the conference.
The Board has decided on the locations of their January and May in-person Board meetings:
- January 22–27 – Monastery of Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre, Niagara, Ontario, Canada
- May 15–19 – Siena Center, Racine, WI
Next Board meeting: Videoconference, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, 11:30 a.m. EST
Enjoy the Last Month of Your Summer!
CWR Board of Directors
Eileen Dickerson, Chair
Sister Angela Szczawinska, CSFN, Vice Chair
Sister Beth Kress, PBVM, Treasurer
Rochelle Cassella
Dave Eck
Kathy Gatliff
Stephanie Hall
Sarah Jenkins
Jennifer Kaminski
Kate Martin
Jean Merry